Electrically driven hair care appliance

ABSTRACT

The invention is directed to an electrically powered appliance for the treatment of hair, in particular a hair dryer, having a fan motor for generating a current of air and a heater unit for heating the air current, and a housing with an air inlet port and an air outlet port as well as a connector element, for connecting the hair dryer to an implement for hair treatment. This implement is equipped, particularly for the styling and/or drying of hair, with an electrical load, for example, an electric motor, and is attachable to the air outlet port of the hair dryer. The connector element includes at least one terminal device for electrical connection to a voltage-carrying component in the hair dryer. The terminal device electrically at selected locations is connected with the heater unit and is disposed essentially outside the heater unit.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to an electrically powered appliance for thetreatment of hair, in particular a hair dryer, having a fan motor forgenerating a current of air and a heater unit for heating the aircurrent and a housing with an air inlet port and an air outlet port aswell as a connector element, for example, a plug-and-socket element forconnecting, in particular electrically, the hair dryer to an implementfor hair treatment. This implement is equipped, in particular for thestyling and/or drying of hair, with an electrical load, for example, anelectric motor, and is attachable to the air outlet port of the hairdryer. The connector element includes terminal devices for electricalconnection to at least one voltage-carrying component in the hair dryer.

An appliance of this type is known from JP 7-51117. This specificationdescribes a curling iron with a handle member and an accessory.Accommodated in the handle member are a fan and a heater unit. Theaccessory, for example, a round brush, contains further electricalcomponents and is connectible with the air outlet end of the handlemember by means of electrical connectors.

From DE-U-9305195.6 an electrically powered hair dryer is known whichhas a socket which is adapted to be connected with a plug of animplement operable by an electric motor.

In the manufacture of hair dryers and implements attachable thereto,particularly in the manufacture of large quantities and different typesof hair dryer and implement, it has proven to be disadvantageous that,in order to combine a particular type of hair dryer with a particulartype of implement, it is usually necessary that a connector element beconstructed individually.

Considering that different types of additional implement are generallyoperated at different electric voltages, a relatively high engineeringeffort is involved in providing the respective operating voltagerequired by the particular implement on the hair dryer. Hence, forexample, provision is made in the hair dryer to accommodate a widevariety of electrical components, in particular connectors, which arefitted to suit the particular hair-dryer-and-implement combinationindividually and in consequence have to be made available in thecorresponding wide variety and also have to be assembled individually.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is accordingly an object of the present invention to provide asimplified configuration of a connector element which is fitted to ahair dryer and suitable for establishing a connection with an additionalimplement. Particularly, it is desirable that the number of electricallyconducting components necessary for the equipment of various types ofhair dryer and the connection of different additional implementsoperating at different voltages be appreciably reduced for the connectorelement, and that the assembly of the connector elements be facilitated,hence enabling them to be produced more economically.

According to the present invention, this object is accomplished in anappliance incorporating the features described in the foregoing in thatthe terminal device is connected with the heater unit, in particularwith the spiral coil heater, and is disposed essentially outside theheater unit. On the one hand, this connection of the terminal devicewith the spiral coil heater proposes a flexible possibility for makingavailable the electric voltage necessary for the respective implement insimple manner. Thus it is possible, particularly by a voltage tappingusing a terminal device on a spiral coil heater, to make availablenearly any desired electric voltage that is lower than the supplyvoltage existing in the particular case. Hence it is no longer necessaryto make provision for different electric terminal devices to accommodatedifferent operating voltages; rather, these operating voltages aredetermined by the respective point of contact of the terminal devicewith the spiral coil heater. The requisite number of electricallyconducting parts for the connector element, in particular the terminaldevice, is thus appreciably reduced. On the other hand, with thearrangement of the terminal device essentially outside the heater unit asimple assembly possibility is proposed, enabling the terminal device tobe connected with the heater unit in a simple and positionally flexiblemanner after the spiral coil heater is wound. Advantageously, thisresults in greater economy of manufacture of the hair dryer,particularly of the electric connector element between the hair dryerand an additional implement.

In a particularly advantageous further feature of the present invention,the terminal device is routed from nearly any desired location on theoutside through the housing wall of the hair dryer, in particular aheater tube, extending into the interior of the hair dryer where theterminal device is connected with the heater unit. Advantageously, thereis thus proposed a particularly flexible connection possibility for theterminal device on the heater unit which, owing to the nearly freechoice of the connecting point between the terminal device and theheater makes it possible to generate any desired electric voltage to besupplied to an additional implement. Furthermore, since the terminaldevice can be routed from outside through the housing wall, particularlythrough the heater tube, it is possible to accomplish an extremelysimple and cost effective connection following fitting of the heaterunit in the hair dryer.

In another further feature, the terminal device has its one endconnected to a heat conducting wire of the heater unit, particularly thespiral coil heater. With this arrangement, an advantageous simpleconnection of the terminal device with a voltage-carrying component inthe hair dryer is proposed which, by reason of the flexible choice ofthe point of contact of the terminal device with the heat conductingwire, makes it possible to provide the requisite electric voltage insimple manner.

In a further advantageous aspect of the present invention it is proposedproviding the terminal device as an electric voltage tap using astandard component including standard variants. Accordingly, astandardized terminal device is of such geometrical shape that one andthe same terminal device can be employed for the generation of a varietyof electric voltages. This has the advantage of eliminating the need toprovide individual terminal devices as heretofore required for thegeneration of different voltage values. It will be understood, however,that the standardized configuration of the terminal devices may alsoinclude a standardized variant, with the number of such standardvariants being advantageously significantly lower than the heretoforerequired number of individual variants of the terminal devices.

In a particularly advantageous further feature, the terminal devicecomprises an electrically conducting bar and a contact terminal. A baraffords at its one end a simple possibility of establishing a connectionwith a further electric conductor arranged, for example, in anadditional implement. At the other end of the bar a contact terminal maybe connected with this bar, establishing an electrical connection to theelectrical load, in particular a spiral coil heater. By reason of itselongated dimension the bar is thus advantageously capable of covering alarge area of the spiral coil heater's turns and is therefore variablein the selection of the contact point of the contact terminal forgenerating the respective electric voltage.

The bar itself may be configured in particular as a straight bar or,alternatively, as a helical bar. In cases in which a straight barconfiguration is selected, a particularly simple and cost effectivevariant is proposed; a helical bar configuration enables a nearlyinfinitely variable adjustment of an electric voltage for an additionalimplement.

In a further feature of the present invention, the bar is secured to theoutside of the heater unit, particularly to the outside of a heater tubesurrounding the heater unit. One effect of this arrangement is that itavoids a reduction in the area of cross section of the air exit in theinterior of the dryer housing, thus also precluding any impairment ofthe air current by these contact members. Another advantageous proposalinvolves an attachment of the bar to the outside of the housing withextreme ease.

It is particularly advantageous to provide the bar with contact points,in particular with apertures, for fastening the contact terminals. Thedistance between two contact points on a straight bar then correspondsessentially to the axial distance between two turns of the heatconducting wire. This advantageously enables the contact terminal to beconnected to the bar at nearly any desired location, particularly fromthe outside of the heater tube.

Alternatively to the straight bar configuration, the helical bar isdesigned with a lead corresponding essentially to the lead of the spiralcoil heater. This enables a heat conducting wire of a spiral coil heaterto be associated with a corresponding helical bar in simple manner,which bar is arranged particularly on the outside of a heater tube,hence enabling, by insertion of a contact terminal, a simple connectionof the bar to the heater unit. In particular the helical configurationof the bar makes it possible to establish a connection to the heatingwire at nearly any desired location, thereby making it possible for theelectric voltage to be adjusted to nearly any desired value ranging fromzero to the supply voltage of the appliance.

In a further aspect of the present invention, two straight bars arearranged essentially parallel to the direction of main flow of the hairdryer, and the contact terminal is insertable into a slotted opening inthe dryer housing, particularly the heater tube, between the two bars.This has the advantage that the contact terminals are guided in a commonslot in the heater tube for the connection of both bars. Depending onthe location selected for the connection between the contact terminaland the turn of the heater unit, the necessary electric voltage isadjustable on the bars.

One end of the bar, advantageously the end pointing in the direction ofthe air outlet port of the hair dryer, has a contact slot, a contact pinor a contact tab for connection with the implement. This has theadvantage of enabling a simple connection of a further connector elementof an additional implement with the bar of the hair dryer.

In an advantageous configuration the contact terminal has its one endformed in the manner of a blade tap having at least two blades adaptedto be push-fitted onto the heat conducting wire of the heater unit. Uponinsertion of the terminal into the slotted opening of the heater tube, asimple connection between the terminal and the heat conducting wire ofthe heater unit can thus be established to advantage.

At its other end the contact terminal includes a contact tab which, forexample, is angled relative to the blade tap and is connectible with thebar. This has the advantage of enabling a terminal, upon insertion intothe slotted opening of the heater tube, to be connected with the heatconducting wire and the bar at the same time. Further connectors betweenthe terminal and the bar and further operations for connecting theterminal are no longer necessary.

In a further feature of the present invention, the bar and the contactterminal are constructed as die castings or sheet metal stampings. Thisaffords ease of manufacture of bar and terminal in addition to enablingmass production of bars and contact terminals economically.

It is particularly advantageous to form the bar and the contact terminalas an integral component. This may involve, for example, manufacturingthe bar as a sheet metal stamping formed to standard shape by a stampingdie, and providing the contact terminal at various locations on the barusing adjustable die inserts.

In a particular further feature of the present invention, the bar isconnected to a hair dryer component carrying the supply voltage.Advantageously it is thus possible to provide for direct electricalconnection between a hair dryer and an additional implement which isoperable on supply voltage.

A particularly advantageous method relates to the step of electricallyconnecting a connector element with a terminal device identified in theforegoing. In this method, the connector element is intended to connectan electrically powered appliance for the treatment of hair,particularly a hair dryer, with an implement for hair treatment. It isof particular advantage that the terminal device, in particular acontact terminal, is routed from outside at nearly any desired locationthrough the housing wall of the hair dryer, in particular the heatertube, into the interior of the hair dryer and is connected with theheater unit, in particular the spiral coil heater. This provides aflexible possibility of electrically connecting a heater unit, inparticular a spiral coil heater, from outside after the coil is wound.

Further features, advantages and application possibilities of thepresent invention will become apparent from the subsequent descriptionof embodiments illustrated in more detail in the accompanying drawings.It will be understood that any single feature and any combination ofsingle features described and/or represented by illustration form thesubject-matter of the present invention, irrespective of their summaryin the claims and their back-reference.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the air outlet end of a hair dryershowing a connector element;

FIG. 2 is a view of the air outlet end of a hair dryer of FIG. 1 showinga connector element in exploded representation;

FIG. 3 is a view of the air outlet end of the hair dryer of FIG. 1showing a connector element without its enclosure;

FIG. 4 is a partial sectional view of the air outlet end of the hairdryer of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a perspective and schematic view of a heater tube for a hairdryer showing a connector element arranged on the outside thereof;

FIG. 6 is a view of the heater tube of FIG. 5 showing a connectorelement arranged on the inside thereof;

FIG. 7 is a schematic and sectional view of an air outlet end of a hairdryer showing an air inlet end of an implement and connector elements;

FIG. 8 is a view of a hair dryer and an implement as seen looking in thedirection A of FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of an air inlet end of the implement ofFIG. 8;

FIG. 10 is a perspective and fragmentary view of a slide switch as seenlooking in the direction B of FIG. 9;

FIG. 11 is a schematic and sectional view of a hair dryer; and

FIG. 12 is a view of the air outlet end of a hair dryer similar to FIG.2 but showing a bar formed integrally with a contact terminal inexploded representation.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The air outlet end of a hair dryer 1 (FIG. 1) is substantially comprisedof a heater tube 2 with an air outlet port 3 in which an air outletscreen 4 is inserted. An air current is moved through this heater tubein the direction of main flow 5. Provided on the underside of the heatertube 2 in the proximity of the air outlet port 3 is a connector element6. This connector element has on its outside a housing 7 with anindividually formed housing section 8 provided on the forward air outletend of the connector element 6. Two contact slots 9 for connection witha further connector element are arranged at the forward end of theelement 6.

The connector element 6 (FIGS. 2 and 3) is essentially comprised of thehousing 7 described in the foregoing and contact bars 10 and contactterminals 11 arranged in the housing. In this arrangement, two contactbars 10 are equipped with equidistant apertures 13 and a contact tab 14at their forward end in the proximity of the air outlet port 3 of thehair dryer. The contact terminals 11 have at their one end ascissors-type blade tap 15 and at their other end a contact tab 16.

Each two contact bars 10 are mounted on the outside of the heater tube 2in parallel arrangement to each other, for example, by means of detenthooks clipping into corresponding openings in the heater tube. Providedbetween the two contact bars 10 is a slotted opening 17 into which thetwo blade taps of the contact terminal 11 are slid. The contact tabs 16of the terminals 11 point in opposite directions and are push-fittedinto the apertures 13 of the bars 10, being thus electrically connectedtherewith. The contact bars 10 and the contact terminals 11 arefabricated from an electrically conducting material, while the heatertube 2 and the housing 7 of the connector element 6 are made of anelectrically insulating material, for example, plastic.

Received in the heater tube 2 (FIG. 4) is a heater unit 12 which iscomprised of several heat conductor supports 18 and a heat conductingwire 19 wound around the supports. The distance between the individualturns of the heat conducting wire 19 corresponds to the distance betweenthe apertures 13 in the contact bar 10. The length of the contact bar 10is selected such as to correspond to the maximum distance from the firstto the last turn of the heat conducting wire 19. This has the advantageof enabling the contact terminals 11 to be routed from outside throughthe slotted opening 17 of the heater tube 2 and to be seated onto a turnof the heat conducting wire 19 for electrical connection therewith. Bymeans of the contact tabs 16 of the terminals 11, an electricalconnection is established between the blade tap 15 and the contact bar10. The contact bar 10 terminates at its forward end in a contact tab 14which is electrically connectible with a further connector elementthrough the contact slots 9 of the housing 7.

As shown, for example, in the preceding Figures, a connector element 6of the present invention (FIG. 5) may be affixed to the outside of theheater tube 2. In such an arrangement, the forward end of the connectorelement 6 terminates approximately flush with the air outlet port 3 ofthe heater tube 2 through which air is adapted to flow in the flowdirection 5.

As an alternative to the above-described embodiment, it is however alsopossible for the connector element 6 to be affixed to the inside of theheater tube 2 and to terminate essentially flush with the air outletport 3. In both embodiments of FIG. 5 and FIG. 6 it is also possible forthe heater tube 2 to be enclosed from outside by an additional housingof the hair dryer (28, see FIG. 11).

Two connector elements 6 and 22 are provided at the junction (FIG. 7)between the air outlet end of a heater tube 2 of a hair dryer and theair inlet end of an implement 21. The connector element 6 which isdisposed at the air outlet end of the heater tube 2 correspondssubstantially to the connector element 6 previously described. However,a contact tab 20 extends from the connector element 6 into the interiorof the heater tube 2, so that this contact tab 20 is also connectiblewith a voltage-carrying part of the hair dryer other than the heaterunit 12 previously described. The connector element 22 is fitted to theunderside of the housing of the implement 21 and is equipped with aslide switch 23. This switch is slidable in a direction essentiallyparallel to the direction of main flow 5.

The slide switch 23 (FIG. 8) has a button 24 which is passed through anopening in the housing 32 of the connector element 22. On seatingengagement of the implement 21 with the air outlet port of the heatertube 2, the slide switch 23 is slidable in the direction of theconnector element 6 in opposition to the direction of main flow 5. Thisenables a mechanical connection to be established between the connectorelement 22 and the connector element 6. An implement 21 which is adaptedto be seated and turned on the air outlet port of the heater tube 2, asby means of a bayonet catch, is thus mechanically protected by the slideswitch 23 against disengagement by its own accord.

The air inlet end of an implement 21 (FIG. 9) is comprised of an annularneck 25 adapted to be push-fitted onto the air outlet end of the heatertube 2. Adjoining this neck 25 in the direction of flow 5 is the casingof the implement 21 which is, for example, of a bell-shapedconfiguration. The housing 32 of the connector element 22 is arranged atthe junction between the neck 25 and the casing of the implement 21. Inthis arrangement, the slide switch 23 is configured such as to protrudebeyond the forward edge of the neck 25 in extended position.

The slide switch 23 (FIG. 10) is essentially U-shaped in cross-section.Provided in the open interior of the switch 23 are contact pins 26 whichcan be connected electrically with the contact slots of a correspondingconnector element. In this arrangement, the contact pins 26 are arrangedessentially parallel to the direction of main flow 5 of the hair dryerand the implement 21.

A hair dryer 1 (FIG. 11) which is able to accommodate an implement ofthe type described in the foregoing is substantially comprised of ahousing 28 with a handle 29. Received in the housing 28 are a heaterunit 12 and a fan motor 31. Ambient air is aspirated into the housing 28through the air inlet port 30, exiting the housing again in thedirection of main flow 5 at the air outlet port 3. Provided on theunderside of the housing 28 is a connector element 6 which is adapted toconnect with an implement, not shown, of the type described in theforegoing.

The connector element 6 (FIG. 12) is essentially comprised of the samecomponents as described in the foregoing with reference to FIG. 2.Alternatively, however, the bars 33 and 34 are integrally formed with arespective contact terminal 36 and 37. In this embodiment, the contactterminals 36 and 37 are provided at different locations on the two bars33 and 34, enabling the electric voltage to be adjusted to a particularvalue by means of the axial distance between the two contact terminals36 and 37. A respective contact tab 38 is provided at the air outlet endof the bars 33, 34 for connection to a contact device of the additionalimplement. For assembly, the bars 33 and 34 are first inserted in thehousing 7 and then clipped, together with the housing, onto the outershell of the heater tube 2.

What is claimed is:
 1. An electrically powered appliance for thetreatment of hair comprising: a housing with an air inlet port and anair outlet port; a fan motor within the housing for generating the aircurrent; an electrically powered heater unit within the housing; and aconnector element mounted on the outside of the housing and positionedto electrically connect with an electrical circuit of an implement whensaid implement is mounted over the outlet port of the housing saidconnector element including at least one terminal device which iselectrically connected with directly to the heater unit within thehousing.
 2. The appliance for the treatment of hair as claimed in claim1, wherein the terminal device is routed through the housing and extendsinto the interior of the housing where the terminal device electricallyconnects directly to the heater unit.
 3. The appliance for the treatmentof hair as claimed in claim 1, wherein the terminal device is anelectric voltage tap using a standard component including standardvariants.
 4. The appliance for the treatment of hair as claimed in claim1, wherein the terminal device comprises an electrically conducting barand a contact terminal.
 5. The appliance for the treatment of hair asclaimed in claim 4 wherein the bar is configured as a straight bar. 6.The appliance for the treatment of hair as claimed in claim 4 whereinthe housing includes a heater tube for directing the air current fromthe fan motor and the bar is secured to the outside of the heater tube.7. The appliance for the treatment of hair as claimed in claim 4 whereinthe heating wire is a spiral coil heater and wherein the bar is providedwith contact points for fastening the contact terminal, with thedistance between two contact points on the straight bar corresponding tothe distance between two turns of the heating wire.
 8. The appliance forthe treatment of hair as claimed in claim 7 wherein the heating wire isa spiral coil heater and wherein the bar is helical with a leadcorresponding to the lead of the spiral coil heater.
 9. The appliancefor the treatment of hair as claimed in any claim 4 wherein the bar hasat one end a contact slot and a contact pin on a contact tab forelectrically connecting to the implement.
 10. The appliance for thetreatment of hair as claimed in claim 4, wherein the heater unit hasheat conducting wire and the contact terminal has an end formed in themanner of a blade tap having at least two blades and is push-fitted ontothe heat conducting wire of the heater unit.
 11. The appliance for thetreatment of hair as claimed in claim 4, wherein the contact terminalincludes an end having a contact tab which is connected with the bar.12. The appliance for the treatment of hair as claimed in claim 4,wherein the bar and the contact terminal are constructed as diecastings.
 13. The appliance for the treatment of hair as claimed inclaim 4, wherein the bar and the contact terminal are formed as anintegral terminal device.
 14. The appliance for the treatment of hair asclaimed in claim 4, wherein the bar is connected to a component of theappliance that carries the supply voltage.
 15. The appliance for thetreatment of hair as claimed in claim 4, wherein the bar is configuredas a helical bar.
 16. The appliance for the treatment of hair as claimedin claim 4 wherein the bar and the contact terminal are constructed assheet metal stampings.
 17. The appliance for the treatment of hair asclaimed in claim 1 wherein the housing includes a heater tube fordirecting the air current from the fan motor and said appliance furthercomprises a contact terminal and two straight contact bars arrangedsubstantially parallel to the direction of air flow within the heatertube, and the contact terminal is insertable into a slotted opening inthe heater tube between the two contact bars.
 18. The appliance for thetreatment of hair as claimed in claim 1 wherein the heater unit islocated between the fan motor and the outlet port.
 19. The appliance forthe treatment of hair as claimed in claim 18 wherein the heater unit isa spiral coil heater.
 20. The appliance for the treatment of hair asclaimed in claim 19, wherein the spiral coil heater has a heatconducting wire and the terminal device has an end directly connected tothe heat conducting wire of the the spiral coil heater.
 21. Theappliance for the treatment of hair as claimed in claim 1 wherein theconnector element is a female connector element designed to receiveelectrical contacts from the implement.